I consider myself to be a deeply patriotic person. I cherish and revere the traditions and ideals of this land, which opened its doors to my ancestors escaping pogroms in the Russian Empire a century ago. The people and places in America are some of the warmest and most beautiful in the world.
But like most people I suppose, there are certain moments when my patriotism runs deepest. I’m not talking about political moments when my own vision of America seems briefly triumphant. I’m talking of more symbolic events that genuinely unite Americans regardless of ideology. I’m talking about the Olympics – the Winter ones especially.
I enjoy the Summer Olympics, mind you. But there is something uniquely exciting about the Winter games that I look forward to every four years. The Miracle on Ice in 1980 is, of course, the seminal patriotic moment for America in the Winter Olympics. What made it so remarkable was that the US men’s hockey team was made up of pure amateurs – college kids, mostly. The Soviet team was not exactly “amateur” in any meaningful sense. Coming on the heels of defeat in Vietnam, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the hostage crisis in Iran, the US hockey team helped lift the spirits of a demoralized nation.
Whatever ails America today pales in comparison to 1980. Our global recession is troubling but hardly humiliating in the way Tehran 1979-81 was.
Yet, the Winter Olympics still stirs patriotism. And a big reason why is the remarkably equal playing field in the winter events. There is simply no one event that Americans absolutely dominate in the way the Russians have dominated pairs figure skating or the Germans master the luge. Even the X-games type events that debuted in 1998 and gave the US a great advantage now witness a broad field including Canada, Norway, Australia, Austria and others. When the Americans win in the Winter Olympics, it’s rarely a result of unquestioned financial or institutional dominance. Yes, we have world class facilities to train snow and ice athletes. But no better than what the Germans, Swiss, Canadians, Russians, Norwegians or Austrians have.
I’m thrilled that Canada finally got its first home gold. And I’m obviously heartbroken over the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili. But I’ll be pulling unabashedly for the USA to make history by winning in previously locked out sports like Nordic Combined (first US medal ever).
And I’ll especially be looking for Team USA to give Team Canada a run for its money in men’s AND women’s ice hockey!